The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Raphael Grossi said in an interview with the Financial Times. He said that the issue was discussed during his meeting with Kazakh President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana this week.
According to the FT, the reserves amount to about 440 kilograms of uranium. Experts believe that with further enrichment to 90%, this volume would be enough to produce about ten nuclear weapons. The fate of this stockpile remains one of the most difficult issues in the negotiations between Washington and Tehran. U.S. President Donald Trump has previously demanded that this material be removed from Iran.
At the same time, Tehran has publicly stated that it has no intention of handing over its stockpile. However, according to the Financial Times, as part of the agreement under discussion, the parties may consider options for diluting the uranium or transferring it to a third country for storage.
Kazakhstan has the necessary capabilities and experience
Grossi noted that Kazakhstan already has an IAEA low-enriched uranium bank, so the country has the infrastructure to safely store such material.
“We have a place where it can be safely stored,” the agency head said. In his opinion, this option may be acceptable to both the United States and Iran.
The FT writes that after the US strikes on the Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan sites, stockpiles of highly enriched uranium are believed to remain under the rubble of these nuclear facilities. According to the publication, their storage, removal or utilization may become part of future agreements between the US and Iran. The latter, for its part, continues to claim that its nuclear program pursues exclusively peaceful goals.
